Robinson Issues Night Tourney Challenge

A slim and trim Robby Robinson of the Big Toho Marina is challenging all East Lake anglers to a bass tournament tonight in St. Cloud.

The contest, the last of its kind this year, will get under way at the St. Cloud city ramp at 7 p.m. and end at 3 in the morning. Entry fees for all you night owls is $25 per boat.

Robinson, who won the tournament a few weeks ago with a whoppin' catch of six fish that had a total weight of 19 pounds, said. ''I really don't want to win it again.''

The most popular lures for tonight's tournament will no doubt be plastic worms and buzz baits. Live baits are not allowed.

Susan Haen plans on fixing a bunch of barbecue chicken for all contestants. In addition to a cash prize, the top finishers will receive a piano worm box.

''We always have such a great time on East Lake,'' Robinson said. ''It's so beautiful out there at night.''

By the way, the reason folks are calling Robinson ''Slim'' is because he has dwindled from a hefty 190 to 175 pounds in just two short weeks. His secret?

''I haven't eaten anything in three days,'' he said. ''I'm so weak I can't even bait my own hook.''

Meanwhile, Wayne Brock netted 40 good-size specs early Thursday morning out of Lake Tohopekaliga, and O.T. Nelson had another 38.

Spec fishing continues to be real good on the north side of Grassy Island in front of the marina, and drifting all the way down to the power lines.

For best results, use a float and fish a minnow all the way down to the bottom. The magic number seems to be right around six or seven feet.

Another good spot is near marker No. 26 around the deep hole. Anglers are having some luck trolling Hal-Flys spiked with a minnow.

Chuck Matthews apparently has fallen into a real honey hole. On Wednesday he put some folks onto some bass, and before the day was over they hauled in six bass. One of the whale-sized lunkers weighed 10 pounds 8 ounces.

Tommye Bell over at the East Lake Fish Camp reports some hefty stringers of bass and specs have been brought in out of the lake this past week.

And needless to say, you cannot have an East Lake report without mentioning Buck Johnson, who caught eight bass up to eight pounds Thursday morning.

Speckled perch fishing has also been picking up in the few days. Stringers of 25 are not unusual, with the biggest specs tipping the scales up to 2 pounds. Those interested in catching some of the tasty specs should try trolling Beetle Spin lures and minnows in the deepest water they can find.

Bass continue to hit shiners and plastic worms at the edge of the reed line and back in the grass.

Eddie Johnson and Chick Garrett brought in eight bass on Saturday and another nine on Sunday. On Wednesday, Gene Lewis went lunker hunting and came back with three bass, two of which weighed more than 7 pounds.

By the way, if you are wondering why Lewis is supporting that lunker-sized grin it is because he has a fancy new bass boat. It looks more like a rocket ship than a fishing vessel, but then who cares when you catch as many hawgs as Lewis does.

Such wasn't the case a couple of weeks ago, however, when the St. Cloud angler did not do so hot in the Let's Set the Hook for Muscular Dystrophy Tournament at Southport Park. But unlike many of his peers who called it a day once the contest was finished, Lewis jumped back into his sleek boat and headed straight back out into the lake in search of Mr. Big Mouth.